Tokyo Philharmonic to Make U.S. Debut in New York As Part of 100th Anniversary World Tour

Concert Conducted by Eiji Oue, Tuesday, March 11, 2014 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, to Take Place on Third Anniversary of 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami

Tokyo Philharmonic_Photo K. Miura

PRLog - Jan. 24, 2014 - NEW YORK -- The Tokyo Philharmonic has the longest history and tradition of any orchestra in Japan, having been originally established in Nagoya in 1911. As plans were being made for its centenary celebrations in 2011, a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck east Japan, challenging the nation with an unprecedented crisis. The orchestra’s centenary plans were scuttled, as an entire culture adjusted to a solemn new reality.

A cherished dream of the Tokyo Philharmonic will finally come to pass, with a 100th anniversary world tour produced by IMG Artists that will encompass six countries on three continents. Internationally renowned Japanese conductor Eiji Oue will lead the orchestra for the tour. The first concert – Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 7:30 PM at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall in New York City – will mark the U.S. debut of the orchestra, as well as the third anniversary (to the day) of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Two Japanese works – Toshiro Mayuzumi’s Bugaku and Kiyoshige Koyama’s Kobiki-Uta – will be performed, as well as Igor Stravinsky’s iconic orchestral showpiece, Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring).

After New York, the Tokyo Philharmonic will appear in Madrid, Paris, London, Singapore and Bangkok.

“We are delighted to realize this world tour as the culmination of our 100th anniversary celebrations,” says Ayuko Matsuda, Director of Public Relations for the orchestra. “For us, it is a significant step, as the sole Japanese orchestra marking the start of its second century. We are proud to represent our country, and hope to inspire the world with 21st-century Japonism.”

Hiroshi Mikitani, Founder and CEO of Rakuten, Presenting Sponsor of the world tour, and Chairman of the Tokyo Philharmonic, states: “Music can touch your heart beyond race or nationality; it is the only truly global language. An orchestra is most empowered to shoulder this social responsibility. As a celebration of 100 years of touching hearts in Japan, we are extremely proud to bring the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra's dialect of the global language to the world.”

Tickets, $50 and $75, are available at the Alice Tully Hall box office,

The Tokyo Philharmonic 100th Anniversary World Tour is produced by IMG Artists.

About the Tokyo Philharmonic

The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra has the longest history and tradition of any orchestra in Japan, having been originally established in Nagoya in 1911. After moving to Tokyo in 1938 the orchestra played a pivotal role in bringing authentic opera to the Japanese public under Chief Conductor Manfred Gurlitt. After the war, the orchestra became a fully independent organization and changed its name to the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO), focusing on subscription concerts, opera and ballet while also pursuing a regular broadcasting program with NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). It is currently the largest orchestra in Japan, with more than 130 members. TPO is proud to have Dan Ettinger as Chief Conductor, Myung-Whun Chung as Honorary Conductor Laureate, Tadaaki Otaka and Kazushi Ono as Conductors Laureate, and Vladimir Fedoseyev as Principal Guest Conductor.

The Tokyo Philharmonic performs regularly at Tokyo’s distinguished Suntory and Orchard Halls and at Tokyo Opera City, where it is based. The orchestra has received many awards and honors, including the Ongaku No Tomo Sha Prize (1984), the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Art Festival Prize (1986) and Art Festival Grand Prize (1995). The orchestra has been designated as one of the organizations for the Agency for Cultural Affairs’ Special Program for Artistic Creativity. In 1997 it became the regular orchestra at Tokyo’s New National Theatre. The orchestra often performs outside of Tokyo and engages in regional cultural exchange and education programs. Internationally, this will be the Tokyo Philharmonic’s fourth European tour, as well as its first appearance in the United States. http://www.tpo.or.jp/en/

About Eiji Oue

Eiji Oue is Conductor Laureate of the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, having served as Music Director from 2003-2011, and Conductor Laureate of the NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Hannover, following eleven years as its Music Director (1998-2009). He has also held the positions of Music Director of Pennsylvania’s Erie Philharmonic Orchestra (1991-1995), Music Director of the Minnesota Orchestra (1995-2002), and Music Director of the Orquesta Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya (Barcelona Symphony Orchestra) (2006-2010). He was Music Director of the Grand Teton Music Festival in Wyoming from 1997 to 2003.

Maestro Oue has guest conducted throughout North America, working with such prestigious orchestras as the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic and the symphony orchestras of Detroit, Saint Louis, Montreal and Toronto. His summer engagements in the U.S. have included appearances at the Ravinia, Tanglewood, Grant Park, Wolf Trap, Round Top and Midland music festivals. In Europe he has conducted the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the symphony orchestra of the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, the Oslo Philharmonic, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, National Orchestra of Spain, Swedish Radio Symphony, Munich Philharmonic, and the orchestras of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and WDR Cologne. In 2005 he made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival conducting Tristan und Isolde.

Born in Japan, Eiji Oue began his musical studies at the age of four. At 15, he entered the Toho Gakuen School of Music as a performance major, beginning his conducting studies that same year with Hideo Saito, the teacher of Seiji Ozawa. In 1978 he was invited by Ozawa to spend the summer studying at the Tanglewood Music Center. There he met Leonard Bernstein, who became his mentor and colleague, sharing the podium during three international tours with concerts in La Scala, Vienna State Opera, Opera de Paris-Bastille and in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Berlin, Rome and other musical capitals. In 1990 he assisted Bernstein in the creation of the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, serving as resident conductor for the Festival Orchestra.